Sony recalls 69,000 VAIO AC power adapters

Heads up to VAIO owners: Sony is recalling some 69,000 AC power adapters following four reports of units short circuiting -- none of which occurred in the United States. It seems there is a weakness in the insulation that could pose an electrical shock hazard to consumers, but nobody has been injured at this point.

The Sony VGP-AC19V17 is the exact AC adapter being recalled. It's used in Sony's all-in-one VAIO desktops (VGC-LT and VGC-JS2 series), and VAIO docking stations (models VGP-PRBX1 and VGP-PRFE1) -- all of which were sold via SonyStyle stores, as well as authorized electronics retailers and business-to-business dealers from September 2005 through October 2009. The PCs were priced from $900 to $3,300 and the docks ran $250 to $300.

If you happen to own a VGP-AC19V17 adapter, it is recommended that you stop using it immediately and contact Sony for a free replacement. You can call Sony at 877-361-4481, or head over to the company's support site.